Summary
When Skydance New Media released the first teaser trailer for its upcoming Marvel title last year many gamers were immediately intrigued, with its World War Two setting providing an interesting spin on some familiar heroes. But even while details about that game remain scarce, Skydance could already have the perfect protagonists for a four-player follow-up in the form of Marvel’s First Family, theFantastic Four. With their unique and varied powers and theiriconic antagonist Doctor Doom, theFantastic Four would be the perfect ensemble to head up Skydance’s next four-character game.
Not only does the four-member squad of superheroes make a natural fit for a co-op title, but the Fantastic Four’s relatively few appearances in gaming compared to other Marvel heroes creates an opportunity to do something innovative. And, unlike theill-fatedMarvel’s Avengers, a Fantastic Four game wouldn’t come after years of movie appearances had already created a clear picture in fans’ minds of how the characters should appear. If it featured traditional, four-player co-op action without live-service mechanics, a Skydance Fantastic Four game could also stand out against some of its competitors in the superhero space.
The Team’s Low Profile in Other Media Could Be a Fantastic Four Game’s Biggest Strength
While The Fantastic Four have been battling villains on the pages of Marvel Comics since 1961, the members of the superpowered squad have rarely appeared together in video games. Aside from taking center stage in the1997 PlayStation beat ‘em upFantastic Fourand 2007’sFantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, members of the team have typically been relegated to cameos in games likeMarvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfectsand theMarvel: Ultimate Allianceseries. This gives a potential SkydanceFantastic Fourgame the chance to create its own identity rather than trying to recapture some elusive past magic.
Being freed from living up to an MCU comparison means Skydance could create one of the definitive modern versions of Marvel’s First Family.
The ability of a Fantastic Fourtitle to try something new without having to emulate past successes doesn’t just hold true for the team’s appearances in gaming, though. Delays totheFantastic FourMCU rebootmean a Skydance co-op title could arrive before years' worth of big-screen outings have cemented an image of how they should look and act in players’ minds. Being freed from living up to an MCU comparison means Skydance could create one of the definitive modern versions of Marvel’s First Family. If combined with gameplay focused on fast-paced action rather than live-service mechanics, Skydance could present a unique version of the team that stands out from its superpowered competition.
A Fantastic Four Game Free of Live-Service Mechanics Could Stand Out From Its Co-Op Competition
If Skydance were to release a Fantastic Fourgame focused on traditional co-op gameplay without inserting live-service mechanics, it could give the title a huge edge over competitors in the genre. While co-op games have experienced somewhat of a resurgence in recent years. Innovative titles likeHazelight Studios’It Takes Twohelp to breathe new life into the genre, but many entries into the co-op space have arrived rife with live-service mechanics. The ultimately doomedMarvel’s Avengersis one high-profile example, but it’s not the only superhero title that’s embraced the trend.
Rocksteady Studios’upcomingSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leaguelooks to be leaning heavily into its live-service elements, giving a potential Fantastic Four game the chance to offer players a more traditional co-op experience. Rather than embracing the often-repetitive live-service gameplay that’s swept the industry, the Fantastic Four could deliver the sort of focused, story-based experience that’s been in short supply in recent years. This would let the game stand out against both its DC competitor and the numerous other live-service titles that have flooded the PC and console market.
Following the release of its single-player Marvel game, Skydance New Media should channel the lessons learned from that multi-character title into a co-opFantastic Fourgame. This would not only give Marvel’s First Family the long-overdue spotlight it deserves, but also show that there’s still room for traditional co-op in an industry awash with live-service titles.
